The present invention related to an attachment element for a body that can be inserted into a hole in a wall. German Published Patent Appln. No. 38 12 182 A1 describes a known attachment element, in which an ultrasonic transducer with a cylindrical body is inserted, for attachment, through a hole in a bumper of a motor vehicle, and retained from the back side by a resilient element to prevent it from falling out. It has been found that an attachment element of this kind can be installed only within a limited installation angle with respect to the wall. Given the variety of different vehicle models and the fact that the installation locations of the ultrasonic transducer also differ from one manufacturer to another, very different angles of inclination of the ultrasonic transducer with reference to the road then occur, so that various attachment elements are necessary depending on the vehicle model, which in turn increases the number of attachment elements to be produced.
International Patent Publication No. WO 96/14512 describes an attachment element in which mutually interengaging snap hooks are arranged between the attachment element and the sensor, which latter can be inserted through a hole into a wall. A portion of the attachment element is elastically deformable such that the mutually interengaging snap hooks, release from one another as the elastic portion of the attachment element deforms, and the attachment element is removable from the body.
It is thus usual, in order to install a body in a wall, for example, an ultrasonic sensor in a bumper, to use an attachment element which receives the sensor and which can then be inserted into a hole in the bumper. The attachment element can be anchored in the motor vehicle in various fashions. As already described above, retention can be accomplished by spring force, which has the advantage that the component can readily be detached again. It is also known to anchor the attachment element in the bumper by ultrasonic welding.